ROBERT SCHEIBER

SCHEIBER ROBERT SCHEIBER Robert Scheiber, a longtime Rockville resident, died peacefully on February 23, 2018, after a short illness. Robert was born May 22, 1957 in Grove City, PA to Walter and Barbara Scheiber, the youngest of four children. Robert was born with Williams Syndrome, a genetic disorder. Though he faced numerous hardships and obstacles in life, he touched many people with his outgoing personality, big smile, and passion for music. Robert moved to Rockville with his family in 1958, when his dad became City Manager, and then to Bethesda in 1966, where he attended BCC High School, played drums in the band, and helped manage the baseball and football teams. Following graduation, he was among the first disabled students to attend Montgomery College. During those years, he was an avid duckpin league bowler and also embarked on a lifelong interest in politics, reading the Washington Post every morning and often calling family members to make sure they were up to date on the news. After a diagnostic test for Williams Syndrome was developed in the 1980s, Robert became an active member of the Williams Syndrome Association, enthusiastically participating in national conferences and bonding with other WS individuals. In addition, his longtime membership at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville was a source of profound meaning and comfort for him. In 1980 Robert began work as a clerk at the Government Printing Office, a position he held for 29 years, until suffering a near-fatal auto accident in 2009. Sports, comedy, and music all brought him great joy - especially music. For decades, his by-ear piano playing wove an indelible strand through the soundtrack of family gatherings. Billy Joel's "Piano Man" was one of his favorite songs, as well as his nickname. Robert is survived by his mother, Barbara Scheiber, of Rockville; siblings, Susie Spangler (George), Miriam Seidel (Steve), and Dave Scheiber (Janie); nieces and nephews, Jenny Lyons, Valerie Mecca (Tony), Laura Waechter (Christopher), Mollie Young (Jared), Julia Scheiber, Emma Scheiber, Davey Scheiber, Ethan Seidel (Emily), Kevin Lyons, Melanie Lyons, Jeremy Lyons, Matthew Lyons-Bennington, Ian Davie (Amy), and Vanessa Davie; devoted caregivers Nora Harris and Dieudonne Sintat; beloved extended family; and a host of friends. Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Williams Syndrome Association or to organizations that support disability rights, civil rights, and civil liberties.